THE GREAT SPECKLED BIRD
Also recorded by: Rev. Pearly Brown; The Browns; Johnny Cash;
Chuck Wagon Gang; Tommy Collins; Dick Curless; Josh Graves;
David Grisman; Ferlin Husky; Wanda Jackson; Sonny James;
Jim & Jesse; The Jordanaires; Jerry Lee Lewis; Hoss Linneman;
Hank Locklin; Lonesome Pine Fiddlers; The Louvin Brothers;
Rose Maddox; Allan McHale "Mac" & The Old Time Radio Gang;
Jim McReynolds; Charlie Monroe; Nashville Pianos;
Nashville's Finest Instrumentalists; Norma Jean;
Osborne Brothers; Don Reno; Marty Robbins;
The Singing Conquerors; The Stonemans;
Stones River Ranch Boys; Adam "Swannee" Swann; Ernest Tubb;
Charlie Walker; Kitty Wells; Lucinda Williams;
Marion Williams; Mac Wiseman.
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THE GREAT SPECKLED BIRD
(Roy Carter / Guy Smith)
What a beautiful thought I am thinking
Concerning a great speckled bird
Remember her name is recorded
On the pages of God's Holy Word.
All the other birds are flocking 'round her
And she is despised by the squad
But the great speckled bird in the Bible
Is one with the great church of God.
All the other churches are against her
They envy her glory and fame
They hate her because she is chosen
And has not denied Jesus' name.
Desiring to lower her standard
They watch every move that she makes
They long to find fault with her teachings
But really they find no mistake.
She is spreading her wings for a journey
She's going to leave by and by
When the trumpet shall sound in the morning
She'll rise and go up in the sky.
In the presence of all her despisers
With a song never uttered before
She will rise and be gone in a moment
Till the great tribulation is o'er.
I am glad I have learned of her meekness
I am proud that my name is on her book
For I want to be one never fearing
The face of my Savior to look.
When He cometh descending from heaven
On the cloud that He writes in His Word
I'll be joyfully carried to meet Him
On the wings of that great speckled bird.
* Perk Williams (November 19, 1926 - January 3, 1994)
* James Arthur “Jimmy” Heap (Born: March 3, 1922, Texas, United States
Died: December 3, 1977, Texas, United States). James Arthur “Jimmy” Heap was a bandleader, songwriter, and guitarist. His group, the Melody Masters, is one of the best exemplars of the post-World War II-era style of honky-tonk music and introduced two of the most iconic country songs, “The Wild Side of Life” and “Release Me,” to a wide audience.
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THE CHILD'S SIDE OF LIFE
Recorded by: Wayne Raney
A little Boy stood cryin' in a courtoom
Before a Judge with face so grim and cold
He brought tears to the eyes of all the Jury
As they listened to the story that he told.
I know my Mom's not a Honky Tonk Angel
I know she's not as bad, like people say
I know my Daddy didn't mean the words he uttered
When he said she went a wild and wicked way.
I know my Daddy loves me and and he loves my Mommy
'Cause he told us that the day he said goodbye
He wouldn't tell us that he loved us and not mean it
I know my Daddy wouldn't tell his Son a lie.
I couldn't live without Mommy and Daddy
They mean so much to me Judge, don't you see
There'd be no Mom to kiss and tuck me in at bedtime
There'd be no Dad to hold and bounce me on his knee.
So would you ask my Daddy if he'll kiss my Mommy
As Mother, she will kiss my Daddy too
Then I know that all my Prayers have been answered
And the three of us can start our lives anew.
A silence fell upon that crowded Courtroom
Each one thought of the words that Jesus Saves
A little child shall lead them, was that wisdom
And homes began to build instead of graves.
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* Henry William "Hank" Thompson (September 3, 1925 – November 6, 2007) was an American country music entertainer whose career spanned seven decades.
Thompson's musical style, characterized as honky tonk Western swing, was a mixture of fiddles, electric guitar and steel guitar that featured his distinctive, smooth baritone vocals.
His backing band, The Brazos Valley Boys, was voted the top Country Western Band for 14 years in a row by Billboard. The primary difference between his music and that of Bob Wills was that Thompson, who used the swing beat and instrumentation to enhance his vocals, discouraged the intense instrumental soloing from his musicians that Wills encouraged; however, the "Hank Thompson sound" exceeded Bob Wills in Top 40 country hits.
Although not as prominent on the top country charts in later decades, Thompson remained a recording artist and concert draw well into his 80s.
The 1987 novel Crazy Heart by Thomas Cobb was inspired by Thompson's life, specifically by his practice of picking up a local band to back him when he toured. In 2009 Cobb's novel was turned into a successful film directed by Scott Cooper and starring Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges.
* Josh MacRae (1933–1977) was a Scottish folk singer. Accompanying himself on guitar, he had two hits in Britain, "Talking Army Blues" (on Top Rank Records, in 1960) and "Messing About on the River" (Pye, 1961). His real name was Iain Macrae; he called himself Josh after the blues musician Josh White.
He also worked as an art teacher at Kirkland Junior High School at Methil, Scotland, in the mid sixties.
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THE GREAT SPECKLED BIRD
What a beautiful thought I am thinking concerning a great speckled bird
Remember her name is recorded on the pages of God's holy word
Desiring to lower her standards they watch every move that she makes
They long to find fault with her teaching but really they found no mistakes
I am glad I have learned of her meekness I am proud that my name is in the book
For I want to be one never fearing on the face of my Saviour true look
When he comes descending from heaven on the cloud that he write in his word
I'll be joyfully carried to meet him on the wings of the great speckled bird.
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* Lynn Rene Anderson (September 26, 1947 – July 30, 2015) was a multi-award-winning American country music singer known for a string of hits throughout the late 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, most notably her 1970 iconic, worldwide megahit "(I Never Promised You a Rose Garden)." Anderson's crossover appeal and regular exposure on national television helped her to become one of the most popular and successful country singers of the 1970s.
Anderson charted 12 No. 1, 18 Top 10, and more than 50 Top 40 hit singles. In addition to being named "Top Female Vocalist" by the Academy of Country Music (ACM) twice and "Female Vocalist of the Year" by the Country Music Association (CMA), Anderson won a Grammy Award (earning seven nominations), People's Choice Award and an American Music Award (AMA). She was the #13 artist of the 1970s according to Joel Whitburn's "Billboard Hot Country Singles" book and the highest ranking artist of the list not yet in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Anderson was the first female country artist to win the American Music Award (in 1974), as well as the first to headline and sellout Madison Square Garden that same year.
Anderson debuted in 1966, at the age of 19, and had her first hit with Ride, Ride, Ride. After a series of Top 10 hit singles on the country charts during the late 1960s, Anderson signed with Columbia Records in 1970. Under Columbia, she had her most successful string of hits. Her signature song, "(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden," remains one of the biggest selling country crossover hits of all time. In addition to topping the U.S. country charts for five weeks, the song reached No. 3 on the Billboard Pop Chart. It also topped the charts in several countries around the globe, an unprecedented achievement at the time. CMT ranks "Rose Garden" at No. 83 on its list of the "100 Greatest Songs in Country Music History". Anderson continued to record and remained a popular concert attraction until her death, regularly headlining major casino showrooms, performing arts centers and theaters.
* Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como (May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century, he recorded exclusively for RCA Victor for 44 years after signing with the label in 1943."Mr. C.", as he was nicknamed, sold millions of records for RCA and pioneered a musical variety television show. Como was seen weekly on television from 1949 to 1963, then continued hosting the Kraft Music Hall variety program monthly until 1967.His television shows and seasonal specials were broadcast throughout the world. Also a popular recording artist, Perry Como produced numerous hit records.Como's appeal spanned generations and he was widely respected for both his professional standards and the conduct in his personal life.
* Noble Ray Price (January 12, 1926 – December 16, 2013) was an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His wide ranging baritone has often been praised as among the best male voices of country music. Some of his well-known recordings include "Release Me", "Crazy Arms", "Heartaches by the Number", "For the Good Times", "Night Life", and "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me". He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996. Price continued to record and tour well into his mid-eighties.
* Woodward Maurice "Tex" Ritter (January 12, 1905 – January 2, 1974) was an American country music singer and movie actor popular from the mid-1930s into the 1960s, and the patriarch of the Ritter family in acting (son John and grandsons Jason and Tyler). He is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
* Leonard Raymond Sipes (September 28, 1930 – March 14, 2000), better known as Tommy Collins, was an American country music singer and songwriter.
Active primarily during the 1950s through the 1970s, Collins was instrumental in helping create the Bakersfield sound of the country music genre. He enjoyed a string of hits during the mid-1950s including "It Tickles" and "Watcha Gonna Do Now". He also wrote several songs for other artists, including "If You Ain't Lovin' (You Ain't Livin')", which was a top 10 hit for Faron Young in 1954 and a No. 1 hit by George Strait in 1988.
After several years in the ministry, Collins returned to recording. In 1965, he had a comeback hit with "If You Can't Bite, Don't Growl". In the 1970s, he wrote several hits for Merle Haggard, including the No. 1 hits "Carolyn" and "The Roots of My Raising". In 1981, Haggard recorded a biographical tribute to Collins called "Leonard".
Collins was the inspiration and character talked about in Craig Morgan's song, "I Wish I Could See Bakersfield".
Collins remained active in the songwriting business. He died March 14, 2000, in Ashland City, Tennessee.
* Les Paul & Mary Ford
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Mary Ford (July 7, 1924 – September 30, 1977), born Iris Colleen Summers, was an American vocalist and guitarist, comprising half of the husband-and-wife musical team Les Paul and Mary Ford. Between 1950 and 1954, the couple had 16 top-ten hits, including "How High the Moon" and "Vaya con Dios", which were number one hits on the Billboard charts. In 1951 alone they sold six million records. With Paul, Ford became one of the early practitioners of multi-tracking.
Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009), known as Les Paul, was an American jazz, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid-body electric guitar, which made the sound of rock and roll possible. Paul taught himself how to play guitar and while he is mainly known for jazz and popular music, he had an early career in country music. He is credited with many recording innovations. Although he was not the first to use the technique, his early experiments with overdubbing (also known as sound on sound), delay effects such as tape delay, phasing effects and multitrack recording were among the first to attract widespread attention.
His innovative talents extended into his playing style, including licks, trills, chording sequences, fretting techniques and timing, which set him apart from his contemporaries and inspired many guitarists of the present day. He recorded with his wife Mary Ford in the 1950s, and they sold millions of records.
Among his many honors, Paul is one of a handful of artists with a permanent, stand-alone exhibit in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is prominently named by the music museum on its website as an "architect" and a "key inductee" along with Sam Phillips and Alan Freed.Les Paul is the only person to be included in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
* William John Clifton "Bill" Haley (July 6, 1925 – February 9, 1981) was an American rock and roll musician. He is credited by many with first popularizing this form of music in the early 1950s with his group Bill Haley & His Comets and million-selling hits such as "Rock Around the Clock", "See You Later, Alligator", "Shake, Rattle and Roll", "Rocket 88", "Skinny Minnie", and "Razzle Dazzle". He has sold over 25 million records worldwide.
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BLUE EYES
(traditional)
(o): Roy Harvey & The North Carolina Ramblers (1927) label: Broadway/Paramount
Charlie Poole's guitarist on front.
(c): Carter Family (1929) [as I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes; Sara Carter always witnessed she knew this song from elsewhere], Cleoma B. Falcon (1934) [great-aunt of cajun archivist Johnnie Allan as Mes Yeux Bleus for Decca; along with her husband Joe Falcon they were like a cajun Carter Family (see also: Ma blonde est partie], Roy Acuff & His Crazy Tennesseans (1936) [as The Great Speckled Bird; lyrics inspired by the Bible (12th Chapter, 9th verse in the Book Jeremias); vocal: Dynamite Hatcher; the melody being published by Ralph Peer since the Carter Family's I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes, triggered Roy Acuff to start his own publishing company], Fiddlin' Arthur Smith & his Dixieliners (1937) , Gene Autry (1942) [as The Great Speckled Bird], Jimmie Heap & The Melody Masters (1951) [as The Wild Side Of Life; lyrics: William Warren], Al Montgomery (1952) [answer song to The Wild Side Of Life as Did God Make Honky Tonk Angels; in the intro producer and lyricist J.D. Miller asks: "Did God make honky tonk angels?" Alice responds with: "We don't think so, listen"], Kitty Wells (1952) [as It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels; first woman with a n°1 C&W], Hank Thompson (1952) [as The Wild Side Of Life; n°1 C&W], Burl Ives (1952) [idem], Johnny Hicks (1952) [as No Wild Side Of Life], Jo-El Sonnier (1959) [as Tes Yeaux Bleus], Johnny Cash (1959) [as The Great Speckled Bird and in '68 (At Folsom Prison) as Flushed From The Bathroom Of Your Heart], Jerry Lee Lewis (1960) [as The Great Speckled Bird], Tommy Quickly & The Remo Four (1964) [as Wild Side Of Life; hit UK], Townes Van Zandt (1970) [melody in Heavenly Houseboat Blues], Status Quo (1976) [as Wild Side Of Life; hit UK], Freddy Fender (1975) [as The Wild Side Of Life], Floyd Cramer (1976) [as I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes], Rod Stewart (1976) [idem], Waylon & Jessi (1981) [as The Wild Side Of Life], Hans Habils (1992) [as Aan Het Eind Van De Tunnel], Blue Mountain (2001) [as I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes],
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* Ellen Muriel Deason (Nashville, 30 de agosto de 1919 - Nashville, 16 de julio de 2012), conocida profesionalmente como Kitty Wells, fue una cantante estadounidense de música country.1 Su éxito de 1952 "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels", la convirtió en la primer cantante femenina de country en entrar en los U.S. country charts y la primera estrella femenina del country. Sus Top 10 hits continuaron hasta mediados de los anos 1960 inspirando una larga lista de cantantes femeninas de country que a su vez tuvieron importancia en la década de 1960.
El éxito de Wells en las décadas de 1950 y 1960 fue tan enorme que aún a día de hoy se encuentra ocupando la posición número seis del ranking de las vocalistas de mayor éxito de la historia de los Billboard country charts según el historiador Joel Whitburn en su libro The Top 40 Country Hits, tras Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Reba McEntire, Tammy Wynette y Tanya Tucker.
Wells fue la tercera artista del country tras Roy Acuff y Hank Williams, en recibir el Premio Grammy a la carrera artística en 1991, así como la octava mujer y primera de raza caucásica en recibir este honor. Desde 1976 aparece en el Country Music Hall of Fame. Se la conoció como The Queen of Country Music. Destronada en 1961-62 por otra estrella: Patsy Cline cuando fue ganadora del premio otorgado por la revista Billboard.
Falleció el 16 de julio de 2012.
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The Prisoner's Song
RECORDINGS:
Clarence Ashley & Tex Isley, "Prisoner's Song" (on Ashley01)
Wilf Carter, "The Prisoner's Song" (Bluebird [Canadian] 55-3202, 1943)
Vernon Dalhart, "The Prisoner's Song" (Victor 19427-B, 1924) (Columbia 257-D, 1924) (Perfect 12164, 1924) (Edison 51459 [as Vernon Dalhart & Co.], 1925; rec. 1924) (Brunswick 2900, 1925) (OKeh 40328 [as Tobe Little], 1925) (Bell 340, 1925) (Regal 9795, 1925) (Cameo 703 [708?], 1925; Perfect 12644/Supertone S-2000, 1930) (Apex [Can.] 8428, 1926) (CYL: Edison [BA] 4954, n.d. [as Vernon Dalhart & Co.]) (Ajax [Can.] 17115, 1925 - probably a reissue of another recording, but it's not clear which)
Kaplan's Melodists w. Vernon Dalhart, voc. "The Prisoner's Song" (Edison 51666, 1925)
Buell Kazee [untitled fragment, under "On Top of Old Smokey"] (on Kazee01)
Bill Monroe & his Bluegrass Boys, "The Prisoner's Song" (Decca 46314, 1951)
Ezra Paulette & his Beverly Hillbillies, "The Prisoner's Song" (Vocalion 03263, 1936)
George Reneau "The Prisoner's Song" (Vocalion 5056/Vocalion 14991/Silvertone 3045 [as George Hobson], 1925)
Arthur Smith, "Kilby Jail" (on McGeeSmith1)
The Texas Drifter, "The Prisoner's Song" (Panachord [U.K.] 25250, 1932)
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The Prisoner's Song
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Oh I wish I had someone to love me
Yes someone to call me their own
Oh I wish I had someone to sleep with
Cause I'm tired of sleeping all alone
Please meet me tonight in the moonlight
Please meet me tonight all alone
For I had a sad story to tell you
It's a story that's never been told
I'll be carried to the new jail tomorrow
Leaving my poor ol' darling all alone
With the cold prison bars all around me
And my head on a pillow of stone
Now I have a grand ship out on the ocean
All mounted with silver and with gold
And before my poor darling would suffer
That ship would be anchored and sold.
Now if I had the wings of an angel
Over these prison walls I would fly
And I'd fly to the arms of my poor darling
And there I'd be willing to die.
The Wild Side of Life
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"The Wild Side of Life" is a song made famous by country music singer Hank Thompson. Originally released in 1952, the song became one of the most popular recordings in the genre's history, spending 15 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard country charts,[1] solidified Thompson's status as a country music superstar and inspired the answer song, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" by Kitty Wells.
"The Wild Side of Life" carries one of the most distinctive melodies of early country music, used in "Thrills That I Can't Forget" recorded by Welby Toomey and Edgar Boaz in 1925, "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes" by the Carter Family in 1929, and "Great Speckled Bird" by Roy Acuff in 1936. That, along with the song's story of a woman shedding her role as domestic provider to follow the night life, combined to become one of the most famous country songs of the early 1950s.
According to country music historian Bill Malone, "Wild Side" co-writer William Warren was inspired to create the song after his experiences with a young woman he met when he was younger — a honky tonk angel, as it were — who "found the glitter of the gay night life too hard to resist." Fellow historian Paul Kingsbury wrote that the song appealed to people who "thought the world was going to hell and that faithless women deserved a good deal of the blame."
Jimmy Heap and His Melody Masters first recorded "Wild Side" in 1951, but never had a hit with the song. Thompson did, and his version spent three and one-half months atop the Billboard country chart in the spring and early summer of 1952.
"Wild Side" was Thompson's first charting single since 1949's two-sided hit "Soft Lips"/"The Grass is Greener Over Yonder."[1] Thompson had hooked up with producer Ken Nelson in the interim, and one of their first songs together was "Wild Side."
Answer song
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The lyric, "I didn't know God made honky tonk angels," and the tune's overall cynical attitude — Kingsbury noted the song "... just begged for an answer from a woman" — inspired "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels," which was also based on the same melody. Recorded by Kitty Wells and released later in 1952, that song, too, became a No. 1 country hit. In "It Wasn't God ... ," Wells shifts the blame for the woman's infidelity to the man, countering that for every unfaithful woman there is a man who has led her astray.
There have been many cover versions of "The Wild Side of Life," several of which became hits in their own right. Burl Ives had a top 10 hit with the song concurrent with Thompson's success, while Freddy Fender reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in early 1976. A version by the British rock band Status Quo reached the UK top 10 in 1976. In 1981, "Wild Side" and "It Wasn't God ..." were combined into a duet by Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter on their album Leather and Lace; that version reached No. 10.
Vic Dana recorded a pop version of "The Wild Side of Life" with full orchestra backing.
Maury Finney recorded an instrumental saxophone version in 1976. As the b-side to his single "Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms," it charted at #78 on the country music charts.
Also, Johnny Horton, Wayne Raney, few singers more, added "The Child's Side of Life" (1952)
It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels
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"It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" is a 1952 country song written by J. D. "Jay" Miller, and originally recorded by Kitty Wells. It was an answer song to the Hank Thompson hit "The Wild Side of Life."
The song — which blamed unfaithful men for creating unfaithful women — became the first No. 1 Billboard country hit for a solo female artist. In addition to helping establish Wells as country music's first major female star, "It Wasn't God..." paved the way for other female artists, particularly Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Tammy Wynette, and songs where women defied the typical stereotype of being submissive to men and putting up with their oft-infidel ways.
In the late 1940s, Wells had recorded on RCA Victor, but had little success there. By 1952, she was recording on Decca Records, and recorded "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" at her first recording session.
In "The Wild Side of Life," Thompson expresses regret his bride-to-be has left him for another man whom she met in a roadhouse, stating, "I didn't know that God made honky tonk angels." That song and its appeal to people who "thought the world was going to hell and that faithless women deserved a good deal of the blame...just begged for an answer from a woman".
The rebuttal song, as it turned out, was written by Jay Miller, although it was Wells who made it a hit. In "It Wasn't God..." – which follows the same melody, but more uptempo – she cites the original song and counters that, for every woman who had been led astray, it was a man who led her there (often through his own infidelity). She also expresses frustration about how women are always made scapegoats for the man's faults in a given relationship.
Refrain: It wasn't God who made honky tonk angels As you said in the words of your song. Too many times married men think they're still single And that's caused many a good girl to go wrong.
Wells' statement was a rather daring one to make in 1952, particularly in the conservative, male-dominated realm of country music; women's liberation and their sentiments in song were still more than 10 years away. There was plenty of resistance to the song and its statement: the NBC radio network banned the song for being "suggestive," while Wells was prohibited from performing it on the Grand Ole Opry and NBC's "Prince Albert" radio program.
Yet, Wells struck a chord with her fans, as "It Wasn't God..." went to number one for six weeks on Billboard magazine's country charts. In topping the charts, Wells became the first woman to ever accomplish the feat, at least as a solo act; if all female singers are considered, then Margaret Whiting gets the honor (in a 1949 duet No. 1 with Jimmy Wakely called "Slippin' Around").
Wells was at first reluctant to record the song, but eventually agreed, if only to get the standard $125 session fee payment. Eventually, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky-Tonk Angels" outsold Thompson's "The Wild Side of Life," and launched the then little-known Wells to stardom. Years later, Wells told an interviewer she was shocked over the song's success and endurance. "Women never had hit records in those days. Very few of them even recorded. I couldn't believe it happened," she said.
Historian Charles Wolfe noted "It Wasn't God..." was one of the few notable exceptions to the rule of an answer song not enjoying the same success as the original.
"The Wild Side of Life" and "It Wasn't God ..." are set to an apparently traditional tune used in the song "Thrills That I Can't Forget" recorded by Welby Toomey and Edgar Boaz in 1925, and more familiarly in the Carter Family's "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes" recorded in February, 1929, as well as the Rev. Guy Smith's "Great Speckled Bird"—popularized in 1936 by Roy Acuff. In view of the common associations and Wells' 1959 "Great Speckled Bird" recording, the correspondence was hardly accidental.
In addition to Wells' vocals, husband Johnnie Wright played bass guitar and Jack Anglin played rhythm guitar. Paul Warren played fiddle and Shot Jackson played steel guitar, traits prevalent on many of Wells' biggest hits.
Cover versions
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Several cover versions of the song have been recorded, including the following:
In 1971, Lynn Anderson also recorded a version of the song that became a Top 20 hit for her, for the album Songs That Made Country Girls Famous.
In 1973, Skeeter Davis recorded the song for her album The Hillbilly Singer.
In 1981, the two songs ("Wild Side of Life" and "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels") were combined into a duet by Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter on their album Leather and Lace. That song reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
In 1985, The two songs were also covered by the folk / rockabilly band The Knitters (a side project of the seminal LA punk band X) on a compilation album "Radio Tokyo Tapes, Vol. 3."
Wells made a cameo guest-vocalist appearance on a cover version recorded by Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette, for the album Honky Tonk Angels and released as a single. Wells also appeared in a video for the song, which has aired on The Nashville Network, CMT and Great American Country.
Early in her career, a then little known Parton also recorded a solo version of the song, including it on a 1963 Kitty Wells/Patsy Cline tribute album.
In 2014, Lasse Stefanz covered the song as "Älska, glömma och förlata" on their Honky Tonk Rebels album.
Parody
The lyrics of songs with similar melodies to "It Wasn't God..." — "Wild Side," "Speckled Bird" and "Blue Eyes" — were included in David Allan Coe's song, "If That Ain't Country." In mocking the similarities of the melodies of the songs, he sings:
I'm thinking tonight of my blue eyes
Concerning the Great Speckled Bird
I didn't know God made Honky-Tonk Angels
And went back to the Wild Side of Life
The Great Speckled Bird
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"The Great Speckled Bird" is a hymn from the Southern United States whose lyrics were written by the Reverend Guy Smith. It is an allegory referencing Fundamentalist self-perception during the Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy.[1] The song is in the form of AABA and has a 12 bar count. It is based on Jeremiah 12:9, "Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour." It was recorded in 1936 by Roy Acuff. It was also later recorded by Johnny Cash and Kitty Wells (both in 1959), Pearly Brown (1961), Hank Locklin (1962), Marty Robbins (1966), Lucinda Williams (1978), Bert Southwood (1990), Marion Williams, and Jerry Lee Lewis.
The tune is the same apparently traditional melody used in the song "Thrills That I Can't Forget", recorded by Welby Toomey and Edgar Boaz for Gennett in 1925, and the song "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes," originally recorded by the Carter family for Victor in 1929. The same melody was later used in the 1952 country hit "The Wild Side of Life," sung by Hank Thompson, and the even more successful "answer song" performed by Kitty Wells called "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky-Tonk Angels" in the same year. A notable instrumental version is found on the Grammy Award-Nominated album 20th Century Gospel by Nokie Edwards and The Light Crust Doughboys on Greenhaw Records.
The connection between these songs is noted in the David Allan Coe song "If That Ain't Country" that ends with the lyrics "I'm thinking tonight of my blue eyes/ Concerning a great speckled bird/ I didn't know God made honky-tonk angels/ and went back to the wild side of life."
The song is also referenced, and portions of the melody-line are used, in "When the Silver Eagle Meets the Great Speckled Bird" by Porter Waggoner.
Both the song "The Great Speckled Bird" and the passage from Jeremiah may be a poetic description of mobbing behavior.
The Prisoner's Song
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"The Prisoner's Song", is a song copyrighted by Vernon Dalhart in 1924 in the name of Dalhart's cousin Guy Massey, who had sung it while staying at Dalhart's home and had in turn heard it from his brother Robert Massey, who may have heard it while serving time in prison.
"The Prisoner's Song" was one of the best-selling songs of the 1920s, particularly in the recording by Vernon Dalhart. The Vernon Dalhart version was recorded on Victor Records in October 1924 and marketed in the hillbilly music genre. It was likely one of the best-selling records of the early 20th century. Although contemporary data show that Victor pressed slightly over 1.3 million copies during the record's peak years of popularity, anecdotal accounts sourced from a 1940s promotional flyer report sales as high as 7 million. The song's publisher at the time, Shapiro, Bernstein & Co., reportedly sold over one million copies of the song's sheet music.
It was later performed by, among others, Hank Snow, Bill Monroe and Brenda Lee. The first verse was sung by Liberace at the end of an episode of the 1960s television show Batman in which Liberace played the double role of twin criminal brothers, both of whom ended the episode behind bars.
The song was included in Lyle Kessler's play Orphans and the film adaptation of the same name which the character of Harold drunkenly mumbles. The verse sung was altered to "if I had the wings of an anger, over these prison walls I would fly, Straight to the arms of my mutter, and then I'd be willing to die".
History
The events leading to the song's immense popularity began with a decision by Victor in 1924 to issue a recording of another song The Wreck of the Old 97, also titled The Wreck of the Southern Old 97, which had been a money-maker for other record companies. Nathaniel Shilkret, A&R man for Victor's newly established Country Records Department and his boss, Victor's Director of Light Music Eddie King agreed to have Dalhart as vocalist on the recording. Shilkret indicated that he felt it necessary to choose a good recording for the B-side of the record in order not to depend entirely on an eight-month-old hit and that he asked Dalhart for a suggestion. Dalhart said his cousin Guy Massey had a song, "The Prisoner's Song", that would be appropriate, and, on August 13, 1924, "The Prisoner's Song" was recorded, with Dalhart's singing backed by Victor singing and whistling artist Carson Robison on guitar and Victor violin artist and often concertmaster of Shilkret ensembles Lou Raderman on viola. This recording, issued as Victor 1942, of "The Prisoner's Song" and became a big hit.
Long-lasting controversy over the authorship of the song quickly arose. Dalhart copyrighted the song in Guy Massey's name, taking 95% of the author royalties for himself and giving Massey 5%. Shilkret protested, claiming that the song as Dalhart had brought it to him (Shilkret) was unusable, and that he rewrote the music.The Shilkret family fought unsuccessfully through the 1950s for author credit.
Guy Massey had heard the song from his brother Rob Massey, who had actually spent some time in prison and probably first heard the song there. Palmer cites a letter dated October 20, 1924 from Guy Massey to his brother Rob Massey and two of his sisters telling them that he agreed to a 5% stake in royalties because he thought there would not be any royalties. Guy also said that, even though the royalty contract did not mention Rob explicitly, he (Guy) would split the 5% evenly with Rob. Although Dalhart changed his story frequently when he told it in public, he sometimes also claimed to have rewritten the original that he got from Guy. At times there were claims made that Guy had written it and there were claims that Rob had written it. Another story claims the lyrics were carved into the wall of a cell in the old Early County Jail in Blakely, Georgia by Robert F. Taylor, who was at one time held there.
The ORIGINAL versions of famous songs and songs covered by famous people.
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Prisoner's Song (1924) / Thrills That I Can't Forget (1925) / Blue Eyes (1927) / Great Speckle Bird (1936) / Wild Side of Life (1951) / The Child's Side of Life (1952) / It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels (1952)
"It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" is a 1952 #1 country hit song written by J. D. "Jay" Miller, recorded by Kitty Wells. Originally recorded by Al Montgomery as "Did God Make Honky Tonk Angels?"
It was an answer song to the Hank Thompson hit "The Wild Side of Life", which was originally recorded by Jimmie Heap.
"The Wild Side of Life" and "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" are set to an apparently traditional tune, that was already used in Rev. Guy Smith's "The Great Speckled Bird"—popularized in 1936 by Roy Acuff, and more familiarly in the Carter Family's "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes" recorded in February, 1929 (originally recorded by the North Carolinba Ramblers and Roy Harvey as "Blue Eyes").
The tune is also used in an even older song "Thrills That I Can't Forget" recorded by Welby Toomey and Edgar Boaz in 1925.
But then there is the striking resemblance with "The Prisoner's Song" recorded in 1924 by Vernon Dalhart.
"The Prisoner's Song", is a song copyrighted by Vernon Dalhart in 1924 in the name of Dalhart's cousin Guy Massey, who had sung it while staying at Dalhart's home and had in turn heard it from his brother Robert Massey, who may have heard it while serving time in prison.
The Prisoner's Song rates as a 1920s all-time best-seller with a staggering seven million-plus copies sold worldwide in the version by Vernon Dalhart. The Vernon Dalhart recording charted for 32 weeks, twelve at No. 1, during 1925 and 1926. The Vernon Dalhart version was recorded on Victor Records in October 1924 and marketed in the hillbilly music genre. It became one of the best-selling records of the early twentieth century, with at least two million copies sold (sales figures are uncertain; some place the sales at 7 million or more), as well as over a million copies of the sheet music to the tune.
Long-lasting controversy over the authorship of the song quickly arose. Dalhart copyrighted the song in Guy Massey's name, taking 95% of the author royalties for himself and giving Massey 5%. Shilkret protested, claiming that the song as Dalhart had brought it to him (Shilkret) was unusable, and that he rewrote the music. The Shilkret family fought unsuccessfully through the 1950s for author credit.
Guy Massey had heard the song from his brother Rob Massey, who had actually spent some time in prison and probably first heard the song there. Palmer cites a letter dated October 20, 1924 from Guy Massey to his brother Rob Massey and two of his sisters telling them that he agreed to a 5% stake in royalties because he thought there would not be any royalties. Guy also said that, even though the royalty contract did not mention Rob explicitly, he (Guy ) would split the 5% evenly with Rob. Although Dalhart changed his story frequently when he told it in public, he sometimes also claimed to have rewritten the original that he got from Guy. At times there were claims made that Guy had written it and there were claims that Rob had written it. Another story claims the lyrics were carved into the wall of a cell in the old Early County Jail in Blakely, Georgia by Robert F. Taylor, who was at one time held there
Recordings of The Prisoner's Song:
---------------------------------*Track *Artist *Year
The Prisoner's Song Abe Lyman And His Californians 1941
The Prisoner's Song Bunny Berigan 1937
The Prisoner's Song Bunny Berigan 1937
The Prisoner's Song Bunny Berigan 1938
The Prisoner's Song Bunny Berigan 1938
The Prisoner's Song Eddie Peabody 1925
The Prisoner's Song Eddy Arnold 1947
The Prisoner's Song Eddy Arnold 1949
The Prisoner's Song Fats Domino 1958
The Prisoner's Song Foster Richardson
The Prisoner's Song Irving Kaufman 1926
The Prisoner's Song Jimmie Davis 1941
The Prisoner's Song Montana Slim (The Yodeling Cowboy) 1943
The Prisoner's Song P. C. Spouse
The Prisoner's Song Paul Specht's Canadian Club Orchestra 1926
The Prisoner's Song Spencer Shaw
The Prisoner's Song Tex Ritter 1948
The Prisoner's Song The Texas Drifter (Goebel Reeves) 1932
The Prisoner's Song Vernon Dalhart 1924
The Prisoner's Song Vernon Dalhart 1924
The Prisoner's Song Vernon Dalhart 1925
The Prisoner's Song Vernon Dalhart 1925
The Prisoner's Song Vernon Dalhart 1935
The Prisoner's Song Walter Kingsley 1927/Wikipedia, others
The Great Speckled Bird Dennis Marsh
Wild Side Of Life Dewey Rothering & The Rhythm Playboys
It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels (other version) Dolly Parton
It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels (1972) Ellen McIlwaine
The Wild Side Of Life (live) Hank Thompson
The Wild Side Of Life (1965) Jerry Lee Lewis 1965
Wild Side Of Life (1960) Josh MacRae 1960
The Wild Side Of Life Merle Haggard
The Great Speckled Bird Nokie Edwards
The Great Speckled Bird Norma Jean 1968
The Wild Side Of Life Ray Price 1963
The Prisoner's Song (1926) Regent Club Orchestra
Wild Side Of Life (1974) Rick Cunha 1974
The Wild Side Of Life (1970) Steve Alaimo
The Wild Side Of Life (1972) Sydney Devine
The Prisoner's Song (1948) Tex Ritter 1948
The Great Speckled Bird Tommy Collins
The Prisoner's Song (1958) Warren Storm
The Child's Side Of Life (1954) Wayne Raney
Also recorded by: Rev. Pearly Brown; The Browns; Johnny Cash;
Chuck Wagon Gang; Tommy Collins; Dick Curless; Josh Graves;
David Grisman; Ferlin Husky; Wanda Jackson; Sonny James;
Jim & Jesse; The Jordanaires; Jerry Lee Lewis; Hoss Linneman;
Hank Locklin; Lonesome Pine Fiddlers; The Louvin Brothers;
Rose Maddox; Allan McHale "Mac" & The Old Time Radio Gang;
Jim McReynolds; Charlie Monroe; Nashville Pianos;
Nashville's Finest Instrumentalists; Norma Jean;
Osborne Brothers; Don Reno; Marty Robbins;
The Singing Conquerors; The Stonemans;
Stones River Ranch Boys; Adam "Swannee" Swann; Ernest Tubb;
Charlie Walker; Kitty Wells; Lucinda Williams;
Marion Williams; Mac Wiseman.
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THE GREAT SPECKLED BIRD
(Roy Carter / Guy Smith)
What a beautiful thought I am thinking
Concerning a great speckled bird
Remember her name is recorded
On the pages of God's Holy Word.
All the other birds are flocking 'round her
And she is despised by the squad
But the great speckled bird in the Bible
Is one with the great church of God.
All the other churches are against her
They envy her glory and fame
They hate her because she is chosen
And has not denied Jesus' name.
Desiring to lower her standard
They watch every move that she makes
They long to find fault with her teachings
But really they find no mistake.
She is spreading her wings for a journey
She's going to leave by and by
When the trumpet shall sound in the morning
She'll rise and go up in the sky.
In the presence of all her despisers
With a song never uttered before
She will rise and be gone in a moment
Till the great tribulation is o'er.
I am glad I have learned of her meekness
I am proud that my name is on her book
For I want to be one never fearing
The face of my Savior to look.
When He cometh descending from heaven
On the cloud that He writes in His Word
I'll be joyfully carried to meet Him
On the wings of that great speckled bird.
* Perk Williams (November 19, 1926 - January 3, 1994)
* James Arthur “Jimmy” Heap (Born: March 3, 1922, Texas, United States
Died: December 3, 1977, Texas, United States). James Arthur “Jimmy” Heap was a bandleader, songwriter, and guitarist. His group, the Melody Masters, is one of the best exemplars of the post-World War II-era style of honky-tonk music and introduced two of the most iconic country songs, “The Wild Side of Life” and “Release Me,” to a wide audience.
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THE CHILD'S SIDE OF LIFE
Recorded by: Wayne Raney
A little Boy stood cryin' in a courtoom
Before a Judge with face so grim and cold
He brought tears to the eyes of all the Jury
As they listened to the story that he told.
I know my Mom's not a Honky Tonk Angel
I know she's not as bad, like people say
I know my Daddy didn't mean the words he uttered
When he said she went a wild and wicked way.
I know my Daddy loves me and and he loves my Mommy
'Cause he told us that the day he said goodbye
He wouldn't tell us that he loved us and not mean it
I know my Daddy wouldn't tell his Son a lie.
I couldn't live without Mommy and Daddy
They mean so much to me Judge, don't you see
There'd be no Mom to kiss and tuck me in at bedtime
There'd be no Dad to hold and bounce me on his knee.
So would you ask my Daddy if he'll kiss my Mommy
As Mother, she will kiss my Daddy too
Then I know that all my Prayers have been answered
And the three of us can start our lives anew.
A silence fell upon that crowded Courtroom
Each one thought of the words that Jesus Saves
A little child shall lead them, was that wisdom
And homes began to build instead of graves.
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* Henry William "Hank" Thompson (September 3, 1925 – November 6, 2007) was an American country music entertainer whose career spanned seven decades.
Thompson's musical style, characterized as honky tonk Western swing, was a mixture of fiddles, electric guitar and steel guitar that featured his distinctive, smooth baritone vocals.
His backing band, The Brazos Valley Boys, was voted the top Country Western Band for 14 years in a row by Billboard. The primary difference between his music and that of Bob Wills was that Thompson, who used the swing beat and instrumentation to enhance his vocals, discouraged the intense instrumental soloing from his musicians that Wills encouraged; however, the "Hank Thompson sound" exceeded Bob Wills in Top 40 country hits.
Although not as prominent on the top country charts in later decades, Thompson remained a recording artist and concert draw well into his 80s.
The 1987 novel Crazy Heart by Thomas Cobb was inspired by Thompson's life, specifically by his practice of picking up a local band to back him when he toured. In 2009 Cobb's novel was turned into a successful film directed by Scott Cooper and starring Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges.
* Josh MacRae (1933–1977) was a Scottish folk singer. Accompanying himself on guitar, he had two hits in Britain, "Talking Army Blues" (on Top Rank Records, in 1960) and "Messing About on the River" (Pye, 1961). His real name was Iain Macrae; he called himself Josh after the blues musician Josh White.
He also worked as an art teacher at Kirkland Junior High School at Methil, Scotland, in the mid sixties.
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THE GREAT SPECKLED BIRD
What a beautiful thought I am thinking concerning a great speckled bird
Remember her name is recorded on the pages of God's holy word
Desiring to lower her standards they watch every move that she makes
They long to find fault with her teaching but really they found no mistakes
I am glad I have learned of her meekness I am proud that my name is in the book
For I want to be one never fearing on the face of my Saviour true look
When he comes descending from heaven on the cloud that he write in his word
I'll be joyfully carried to meet him on the wings of the great speckled bird.
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* Lynn Rene Anderson (September 26, 1947 – July 30, 2015) was a multi-award-winning American country music singer known for a string of hits throughout the late 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, most notably her 1970 iconic, worldwide megahit "(I Never Promised You a Rose Garden)." Anderson's crossover appeal and regular exposure on national television helped her to become one of the most popular and successful country singers of the 1970s.
Anderson charted 12 No. 1, 18 Top 10, and more than 50 Top 40 hit singles. In addition to being named "Top Female Vocalist" by the Academy of Country Music (ACM) twice and "Female Vocalist of the Year" by the Country Music Association (CMA), Anderson won a Grammy Award (earning seven nominations), People's Choice Award and an American Music Award (AMA). She was the #13 artist of the 1970s according to Joel Whitburn's "Billboard Hot Country Singles" book and the highest ranking artist of the list not yet in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Anderson was the first female country artist to win the American Music Award (in 1974), as well as the first to headline and sellout Madison Square Garden that same year.
Anderson debuted in 1966, at the age of 19, and had her first hit with Ride, Ride, Ride. After a series of Top 10 hit singles on the country charts during the late 1960s, Anderson signed with Columbia Records in 1970. Under Columbia, she had her most successful string of hits. Her signature song, "(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden," remains one of the biggest selling country crossover hits of all time. In addition to topping the U.S. country charts for five weeks, the song reached No. 3 on the Billboard Pop Chart. It also topped the charts in several countries around the globe, an unprecedented achievement at the time. CMT ranks "Rose Garden" at No. 83 on its list of the "100 Greatest Songs in Country Music History". Anderson continued to record and remained a popular concert attraction until her death, regularly headlining major casino showrooms, performing arts centers and theaters.
* Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como (May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century, he recorded exclusively for RCA Victor for 44 years after signing with the label in 1943."Mr. C.", as he was nicknamed, sold millions of records for RCA and pioneered a musical variety television show. Como was seen weekly on television from 1949 to 1963, then continued hosting the Kraft Music Hall variety program monthly until 1967.His television shows and seasonal specials were broadcast throughout the world. Also a popular recording artist, Perry Como produced numerous hit records.Como's appeal spanned generations and he was widely respected for both his professional standards and the conduct in his personal life.
* Noble Ray Price (January 12, 1926 – December 16, 2013) was an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His wide ranging baritone has often been praised as among the best male voices of country music. Some of his well-known recordings include "Release Me", "Crazy Arms", "Heartaches by the Number", "For the Good Times", "Night Life", and "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me". He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996. Price continued to record and tour well into his mid-eighties.
* Woodward Maurice "Tex" Ritter (January 12, 1905 – January 2, 1974) was an American country music singer and movie actor popular from the mid-1930s into the 1960s, and the patriarch of the Ritter family in acting (son John and grandsons Jason and Tyler). He is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
* Leonard Raymond Sipes (September 28, 1930 – March 14, 2000), better known as Tommy Collins, was an American country music singer and songwriter.
Active primarily during the 1950s through the 1970s, Collins was instrumental in helping create the Bakersfield sound of the country music genre. He enjoyed a string of hits during the mid-1950s including "It Tickles" and "Watcha Gonna Do Now". He also wrote several songs for other artists, including "If You Ain't Lovin' (You Ain't Livin')", which was a top 10 hit for Faron Young in 1954 and a No. 1 hit by George Strait in 1988.
After several years in the ministry, Collins returned to recording. In 1965, he had a comeback hit with "If You Can't Bite, Don't Growl". In the 1970s, he wrote several hits for Merle Haggard, including the No. 1 hits "Carolyn" and "The Roots of My Raising". In 1981, Haggard recorded a biographical tribute to Collins called "Leonard".
Collins was the inspiration and character talked about in Craig Morgan's song, "I Wish I Could See Bakersfield".
Collins remained active in the songwriting business. He died March 14, 2000, in Ashland City, Tennessee.
* Les Paul & Mary Ford
----------------------
Mary Ford (July 7, 1924 – September 30, 1977), born Iris Colleen Summers, was an American vocalist and guitarist, comprising half of the husband-and-wife musical team Les Paul and Mary Ford. Between 1950 and 1954, the couple had 16 top-ten hits, including "How High the Moon" and "Vaya con Dios", which were number one hits on the Billboard charts. In 1951 alone they sold six million records. With Paul, Ford became one of the early practitioners of multi-tracking.
Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009), known as Les Paul, was an American jazz, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid-body electric guitar, which made the sound of rock and roll possible. Paul taught himself how to play guitar and while he is mainly known for jazz and popular music, he had an early career in country music. He is credited with many recording innovations. Although he was not the first to use the technique, his early experiments with overdubbing (also known as sound on sound), delay effects such as tape delay, phasing effects and multitrack recording were among the first to attract widespread attention.
His innovative talents extended into his playing style, including licks, trills, chording sequences, fretting techniques and timing, which set him apart from his contemporaries and inspired many guitarists of the present day. He recorded with his wife Mary Ford in the 1950s, and they sold millions of records.
Among his many honors, Paul is one of a handful of artists with a permanent, stand-alone exhibit in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is prominently named by the music museum on its website as an "architect" and a "key inductee" along with Sam Phillips and Alan Freed.Les Paul is the only person to be included in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
* William John Clifton "Bill" Haley (July 6, 1925 – February 9, 1981) was an American rock and roll musician. He is credited by many with first popularizing this form of music in the early 1950s with his group Bill Haley & His Comets and million-selling hits such as "Rock Around the Clock", "See You Later, Alligator", "Shake, Rattle and Roll", "Rocket 88", "Skinny Minnie", and "Razzle Dazzle". He has sold over 25 million records worldwide.
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BLUE EYES
(traditional)
(o): Roy Harvey & The North Carolina Ramblers (1927) label: Broadway/Paramount
Charlie Poole's guitarist on front.
(c): Carter Family (1929) [as I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes; Sara Carter always witnessed she knew this song from elsewhere], Cleoma B. Falcon (1934) [great-aunt of cajun archivist Johnnie Allan as Mes Yeux Bleus for Decca; along with her husband Joe Falcon they were like a cajun Carter Family (see also: Ma blonde est partie], Roy Acuff & His Crazy Tennesseans (1936) [as The Great Speckled Bird; lyrics inspired by the Bible (12th Chapter, 9th verse in the Book Jeremias); vocal: Dynamite Hatcher; the melody being published by Ralph Peer since the Carter Family's I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes, triggered Roy Acuff to start his own publishing company], Fiddlin' Arthur Smith & his Dixieliners (1937) , Gene Autry (1942) [as The Great Speckled Bird], Jimmie Heap & The Melody Masters (1951) [as The Wild Side Of Life; lyrics: William Warren], Al Montgomery (1952) [answer song to The Wild Side Of Life as Did God Make Honky Tonk Angels; in the intro producer and lyricist J.D. Miller asks: "Did God make honky tonk angels?" Alice responds with: "We don't think so, listen"], Kitty Wells (1952) [as It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels; first woman with a n°1 C&W], Hank Thompson (1952) [as The Wild Side Of Life; n°1 C&W], Burl Ives (1952) [idem], Johnny Hicks (1952) [as No Wild Side Of Life], Jo-El Sonnier (1959) [as Tes Yeaux Bleus], Johnny Cash (1959) [as The Great Speckled Bird and in '68 (At Folsom Prison) as Flushed From The Bathroom Of Your Heart], Jerry Lee Lewis (1960) [as The Great Speckled Bird], Tommy Quickly & The Remo Four (1964) [as Wild Side Of Life; hit UK], Townes Van Zandt (1970) [melody in Heavenly Houseboat Blues], Status Quo (1976) [as Wild Side Of Life; hit UK], Freddy Fender (1975) [as The Wild Side Of Life], Floyd Cramer (1976) [as I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes], Rod Stewart (1976) [idem], Waylon & Jessi (1981) [as The Wild Side Of Life], Hans Habils (1992) [as Aan Het Eind Van De Tunnel], Blue Mountain (2001) [as I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes],
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* Ellen Muriel Deason (Nashville, 30 de agosto de 1919 - Nashville, 16 de julio de 2012), conocida profesionalmente como Kitty Wells, fue una cantante estadounidense de música country.1 Su éxito de 1952 "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels", la convirtió en la primer cantante femenina de country en entrar en los U.S. country charts y la primera estrella femenina del country. Sus Top 10 hits continuaron hasta mediados de los anos 1960 inspirando una larga lista de cantantes femeninas de country que a su vez tuvieron importancia en la década de 1960.
El éxito de Wells en las décadas de 1950 y 1960 fue tan enorme que aún a día de hoy se encuentra ocupando la posición número seis del ranking de las vocalistas de mayor éxito de la historia de los Billboard country charts según el historiador Joel Whitburn en su libro The Top 40 Country Hits, tras Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Reba McEntire, Tammy Wynette y Tanya Tucker.
Wells fue la tercera artista del country tras Roy Acuff y Hank Williams, en recibir el Premio Grammy a la carrera artística en 1991, así como la octava mujer y primera de raza caucásica en recibir este honor. Desde 1976 aparece en el Country Music Hall of Fame. Se la conoció como The Queen of Country Music. Destronada en 1961-62 por otra estrella: Patsy Cline cuando fue ganadora del premio otorgado por la revista Billboard.
Falleció el 16 de julio de 2012.
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The Prisoner's Song
RECORDINGS:
Clarence Ashley & Tex Isley, "Prisoner's Song" (on Ashley01)
Wilf Carter, "The Prisoner's Song" (Bluebird [Canadian] 55-3202, 1943)
Vernon Dalhart, "The Prisoner's Song" (Victor 19427-B, 1924) (Columbia 257-D, 1924) (Perfect 12164, 1924) (Edison 51459 [as Vernon Dalhart & Co.], 1925; rec. 1924) (Brunswick 2900, 1925) (OKeh 40328 [as Tobe Little], 1925) (Bell 340, 1925) (Regal 9795, 1925) (Cameo 703 [708?], 1925; Perfect 12644/Supertone S-2000, 1930) (Apex [Can.] 8428, 1926) (CYL: Edison [BA] 4954, n.d. [as Vernon Dalhart & Co.]) (Ajax [Can.] 17115, 1925 - probably a reissue of another recording, but it's not clear which)
Kaplan's Melodists w. Vernon Dalhart, voc. "The Prisoner's Song" (Edison 51666, 1925)
Buell Kazee [untitled fragment, under "On Top of Old Smokey"] (on Kazee01)
Bill Monroe & his Bluegrass Boys, "The Prisoner's Song" (Decca 46314, 1951)
Ezra Paulette & his Beverly Hillbillies, "The Prisoner's Song" (Vocalion 03263, 1936)
George Reneau "The Prisoner's Song" (Vocalion 5056/Vocalion 14991/Silvertone 3045 [as George Hobson], 1925)
Arthur Smith, "Kilby Jail" (on McGeeSmith1)
The Texas Drifter, "The Prisoner's Song" (Panachord [U.K.] 25250, 1932)
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The Prisoner's Song
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Oh I wish I had someone to love me
Yes someone to call me their own
Oh I wish I had someone to sleep with
Cause I'm tired of sleeping all alone
Please meet me tonight in the moonlight
Please meet me tonight all alone
For I had a sad story to tell you
It's a story that's never been told
I'll be carried to the new jail tomorrow
Leaving my poor ol' darling all alone
With the cold prison bars all around me
And my head on a pillow of stone
Now I have a grand ship out on the ocean
All mounted with silver and with gold
And before my poor darling would suffer
That ship would be anchored and sold.
Now if I had the wings of an angel
Over these prison walls I would fly
And I'd fly to the arms of my poor darling
And there I'd be willing to die.
The Wild Side of Life
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"The Wild Side of Life" is a song made famous by country music singer Hank Thompson. Originally released in 1952, the song became one of the most popular recordings in the genre's history, spending 15 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard country charts,[1] solidified Thompson's status as a country music superstar and inspired the answer song, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" by Kitty Wells.
"The Wild Side of Life" carries one of the most distinctive melodies of early country music, used in "Thrills That I Can't Forget" recorded by Welby Toomey and Edgar Boaz in 1925, "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes" by the Carter Family in 1929, and "Great Speckled Bird" by Roy Acuff in 1936. That, along with the song's story of a woman shedding her role as domestic provider to follow the night life, combined to become one of the most famous country songs of the early 1950s.
According to country music historian Bill Malone, "Wild Side" co-writer William Warren was inspired to create the song after his experiences with a young woman he met when he was younger — a honky tonk angel, as it were — who "found the glitter of the gay night life too hard to resist." Fellow historian Paul Kingsbury wrote that the song appealed to people who "thought the world was going to hell and that faithless women deserved a good deal of the blame."
Jimmy Heap and His Melody Masters first recorded "Wild Side" in 1951, but never had a hit with the song. Thompson did, and his version spent three and one-half months atop the Billboard country chart in the spring and early summer of 1952.
"Wild Side" was Thompson's first charting single since 1949's two-sided hit "Soft Lips"/"The Grass is Greener Over Yonder."[1] Thompson had hooked up with producer Ken Nelson in the interim, and one of their first songs together was "Wild Side."
Answer song
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The lyric, "I didn't know God made honky tonk angels," and the tune's overall cynical attitude — Kingsbury noted the song "... just begged for an answer from a woman" — inspired "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels," which was also based on the same melody. Recorded by Kitty Wells and released later in 1952, that song, too, became a No. 1 country hit. In "It Wasn't God ... ," Wells shifts the blame for the woman's infidelity to the man, countering that for every unfaithful woman there is a man who has led her astray.
There have been many cover versions of "The Wild Side of Life," several of which became hits in their own right. Burl Ives had a top 10 hit with the song concurrent with Thompson's success, while Freddy Fender reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in early 1976. A version by the British rock band Status Quo reached the UK top 10 in 1976. In 1981, "Wild Side" and "It Wasn't God ..." were combined into a duet by Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter on their album Leather and Lace; that version reached No. 10.
Vic Dana recorded a pop version of "The Wild Side of Life" with full orchestra backing.
Maury Finney recorded an instrumental saxophone version in 1976. As the b-side to his single "Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms," it charted at #78 on the country music charts.
Also, Johnny Horton, Wayne Raney, few singers more, added "The Child's Side of Life" (1952)
It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels
----------------------------------------
"It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" is a 1952 country song written by J. D. "Jay" Miller, and originally recorded by Kitty Wells. It was an answer song to the Hank Thompson hit "The Wild Side of Life."
The song — which blamed unfaithful men for creating unfaithful women — became the first No. 1 Billboard country hit for a solo female artist. In addition to helping establish Wells as country music's first major female star, "It Wasn't God..." paved the way for other female artists, particularly Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Tammy Wynette, and songs where women defied the typical stereotype of being submissive to men and putting up with their oft-infidel ways.
In the late 1940s, Wells had recorded on RCA Victor, but had little success there. By 1952, she was recording on Decca Records, and recorded "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" at her first recording session.
In "The Wild Side of Life," Thompson expresses regret his bride-to-be has left him for another man whom she met in a roadhouse, stating, "I didn't know that God made honky tonk angels." That song and its appeal to people who "thought the world was going to hell and that faithless women deserved a good deal of the blame...just begged for an answer from a woman".
The rebuttal song, as it turned out, was written by Jay Miller, although it was Wells who made it a hit. In "It Wasn't God..." – which follows the same melody, but more uptempo – she cites the original song and counters that, for every woman who had been led astray, it was a man who led her there (often through his own infidelity). She also expresses frustration about how women are always made scapegoats for the man's faults in a given relationship.
Refrain: It wasn't God who made honky tonk angels As you said in the words of your song. Too many times married men think they're still single And that's caused many a good girl to go wrong.
Wells' statement was a rather daring one to make in 1952, particularly in the conservative, male-dominated realm of country music; women's liberation and their sentiments in song were still more than 10 years away. There was plenty of resistance to the song and its statement: the NBC radio network banned the song for being "suggestive," while Wells was prohibited from performing it on the Grand Ole Opry and NBC's "Prince Albert" radio program.
Yet, Wells struck a chord with her fans, as "It Wasn't God..." went to number one for six weeks on Billboard magazine's country charts. In topping the charts, Wells became the first woman to ever accomplish the feat, at least as a solo act; if all female singers are considered, then Margaret Whiting gets the honor (in a 1949 duet No. 1 with Jimmy Wakely called "Slippin' Around").
Wells was at first reluctant to record the song, but eventually agreed, if only to get the standard $125 session fee payment. Eventually, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky-Tonk Angels" outsold Thompson's "The Wild Side of Life," and launched the then little-known Wells to stardom. Years later, Wells told an interviewer she was shocked over the song's success and endurance. "Women never had hit records in those days. Very few of them even recorded. I couldn't believe it happened," she said.
Historian Charles Wolfe noted "It Wasn't God..." was one of the few notable exceptions to the rule of an answer song not enjoying the same success as the original.
"The Wild Side of Life" and "It Wasn't God ..." are set to an apparently traditional tune used in the song "Thrills That I Can't Forget" recorded by Welby Toomey and Edgar Boaz in 1925, and more familiarly in the Carter Family's "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes" recorded in February, 1929, as well as the Rev. Guy Smith's "Great Speckled Bird"—popularized in 1936 by Roy Acuff. In view of the common associations and Wells' 1959 "Great Speckled Bird" recording, the correspondence was hardly accidental.
In addition to Wells' vocals, husband Johnnie Wright played bass guitar and Jack Anglin played rhythm guitar. Paul Warren played fiddle and Shot Jackson played steel guitar, traits prevalent on many of Wells' biggest hits.
Cover versions
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Several cover versions of the song have been recorded, including the following:
In 1971, Lynn Anderson also recorded a version of the song that became a Top 20 hit for her, for the album Songs That Made Country Girls Famous.
In 1973, Skeeter Davis recorded the song for her album The Hillbilly Singer.
In 1981, the two songs ("Wild Side of Life" and "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels") were combined into a duet by Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter on their album Leather and Lace. That song reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
In 1985, The two songs were also covered by the folk / rockabilly band The Knitters (a side project of the seminal LA punk band X) on a compilation album "Radio Tokyo Tapes, Vol. 3."
Wells made a cameo guest-vocalist appearance on a cover version recorded by Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette, for the album Honky Tonk Angels and released as a single. Wells also appeared in a video for the song, which has aired on The Nashville Network, CMT and Great American Country.
Early in her career, a then little known Parton also recorded a solo version of the song, including it on a 1963 Kitty Wells/Patsy Cline tribute album.
In 2014, Lasse Stefanz covered the song as "Älska, glömma och förlata" on their Honky Tonk Rebels album.
Parody
The lyrics of songs with similar melodies to "It Wasn't God..." — "Wild Side," "Speckled Bird" and "Blue Eyes" — were included in David Allan Coe's song, "If That Ain't Country." In mocking the similarities of the melodies of the songs, he sings:
I'm thinking tonight of my blue eyes
Concerning the Great Speckled Bird
I didn't know God made Honky-Tonk Angels
And went back to the Wild Side of Life
The Great Speckled Bird
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"The Great Speckled Bird" is a hymn from the Southern United States whose lyrics were written by the Reverend Guy Smith. It is an allegory referencing Fundamentalist self-perception during the Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy.[1] The song is in the form of AABA and has a 12 bar count. It is based on Jeremiah 12:9, "Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour." It was recorded in 1936 by Roy Acuff. It was also later recorded by Johnny Cash and Kitty Wells (both in 1959), Pearly Brown (1961), Hank Locklin (1962), Marty Robbins (1966), Lucinda Williams (1978), Bert Southwood (1990), Marion Williams, and Jerry Lee Lewis.
The tune is the same apparently traditional melody used in the song "Thrills That I Can't Forget", recorded by Welby Toomey and Edgar Boaz for Gennett in 1925, and the song "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes," originally recorded by the Carter family for Victor in 1929. The same melody was later used in the 1952 country hit "The Wild Side of Life," sung by Hank Thompson, and the even more successful "answer song" performed by Kitty Wells called "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky-Tonk Angels" in the same year. A notable instrumental version is found on the Grammy Award-Nominated album 20th Century Gospel by Nokie Edwards and The Light Crust Doughboys on Greenhaw Records.
The connection between these songs is noted in the David Allan Coe song "If That Ain't Country" that ends with the lyrics "I'm thinking tonight of my blue eyes/ Concerning a great speckled bird/ I didn't know God made honky-tonk angels/ and went back to the wild side of life."
The song is also referenced, and portions of the melody-line are used, in "When the Silver Eagle Meets the Great Speckled Bird" by Porter Waggoner.
Both the song "The Great Speckled Bird" and the passage from Jeremiah may be a poetic description of mobbing behavior.
The Prisoner's Song
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"The Prisoner's Song", is a song copyrighted by Vernon Dalhart in 1924 in the name of Dalhart's cousin Guy Massey, who had sung it while staying at Dalhart's home and had in turn heard it from his brother Robert Massey, who may have heard it while serving time in prison.
"The Prisoner's Song" was one of the best-selling songs of the 1920s, particularly in the recording by Vernon Dalhart. The Vernon Dalhart version was recorded on Victor Records in October 1924 and marketed in the hillbilly music genre. It was likely one of the best-selling records of the early 20th century. Although contemporary data show that Victor pressed slightly over 1.3 million copies during the record's peak years of popularity, anecdotal accounts sourced from a 1940s promotional flyer report sales as high as 7 million. The song's publisher at the time, Shapiro, Bernstein & Co., reportedly sold over one million copies of the song's sheet music.
It was later performed by, among others, Hank Snow, Bill Monroe and Brenda Lee. The first verse was sung by Liberace at the end of an episode of the 1960s television show Batman in which Liberace played the double role of twin criminal brothers, both of whom ended the episode behind bars.
The song was included in Lyle Kessler's play Orphans and the film adaptation of the same name which the character of Harold drunkenly mumbles. The verse sung was altered to "if I had the wings of an anger, over these prison walls I would fly, Straight to the arms of my mutter, and then I'd be willing to die".
History
The events leading to the song's immense popularity began with a decision by Victor in 1924 to issue a recording of another song The Wreck of the Old 97, also titled The Wreck of the Southern Old 97, which had been a money-maker for other record companies. Nathaniel Shilkret, A&R man for Victor's newly established Country Records Department and his boss, Victor's Director of Light Music Eddie King agreed to have Dalhart as vocalist on the recording. Shilkret indicated that he felt it necessary to choose a good recording for the B-side of the record in order not to depend entirely on an eight-month-old hit and that he asked Dalhart for a suggestion. Dalhart said his cousin Guy Massey had a song, "The Prisoner's Song", that would be appropriate, and, on August 13, 1924, "The Prisoner's Song" was recorded, with Dalhart's singing backed by Victor singing and whistling artist Carson Robison on guitar and Victor violin artist and often concertmaster of Shilkret ensembles Lou Raderman on viola. This recording, issued as Victor 1942, of "The Prisoner's Song" and became a big hit.
Long-lasting controversy over the authorship of the song quickly arose. Dalhart copyrighted the song in Guy Massey's name, taking 95% of the author royalties for himself and giving Massey 5%. Shilkret protested, claiming that the song as Dalhart had brought it to him (Shilkret) was unusable, and that he rewrote the music.The Shilkret family fought unsuccessfully through the 1950s for author credit.
Guy Massey had heard the song from his brother Rob Massey, who had actually spent some time in prison and probably first heard the song there. Palmer cites a letter dated October 20, 1924 from Guy Massey to his brother Rob Massey and two of his sisters telling them that he agreed to a 5% stake in royalties because he thought there would not be any royalties. Guy also said that, even though the royalty contract did not mention Rob explicitly, he (Guy) would split the 5% evenly with Rob. Although Dalhart changed his story frequently when he told it in public, he sometimes also claimed to have rewritten the original that he got from Guy. At times there were claims made that Guy had written it and there were claims that Rob had written it. Another story claims the lyrics were carved into the wall of a cell in the old Early County Jail in Blakely, Georgia by Robert F. Taylor, who was at one time held there.
The ORIGINAL versions of famous songs and songs covered by famous people.
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Prisoner's Song (1924) / Thrills That I Can't Forget (1925) / Blue Eyes (1927) / Great Speckle Bird (1936) / Wild Side of Life (1951) / The Child's Side of Life (1952) / It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels (1952)
"It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" is a 1952 #1 country hit song written by J. D. "Jay" Miller, recorded by Kitty Wells. Originally recorded by Al Montgomery as "Did God Make Honky Tonk Angels?"
It was an answer song to the Hank Thompson hit "The Wild Side of Life", which was originally recorded by Jimmie Heap.
"The Wild Side of Life" and "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" are set to an apparently traditional tune, that was already used in Rev. Guy Smith's "The Great Speckled Bird"—popularized in 1936 by Roy Acuff, and more familiarly in the Carter Family's "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes" recorded in February, 1929 (originally recorded by the North Carolinba Ramblers and Roy Harvey as "Blue Eyes").
The tune is also used in an even older song "Thrills That I Can't Forget" recorded by Welby Toomey and Edgar Boaz in 1925.
But then there is the striking resemblance with "The Prisoner's Song" recorded in 1924 by Vernon Dalhart.
"The Prisoner's Song", is a song copyrighted by Vernon Dalhart in 1924 in the name of Dalhart's cousin Guy Massey, who had sung it while staying at Dalhart's home and had in turn heard it from his brother Robert Massey, who may have heard it while serving time in prison.
The Prisoner's Song rates as a 1920s all-time best-seller with a staggering seven million-plus copies sold worldwide in the version by Vernon Dalhart. The Vernon Dalhart recording charted for 32 weeks, twelve at No. 1, during 1925 and 1926. The Vernon Dalhart version was recorded on Victor Records in October 1924 and marketed in the hillbilly music genre. It became one of the best-selling records of the early twentieth century, with at least two million copies sold (sales figures are uncertain; some place the sales at 7 million or more), as well as over a million copies of the sheet music to the tune.
Long-lasting controversy over the authorship of the song quickly arose. Dalhart copyrighted the song in Guy Massey's name, taking 95% of the author royalties for himself and giving Massey 5%. Shilkret protested, claiming that the song as Dalhart had brought it to him (Shilkret) was unusable, and that he rewrote the music. The Shilkret family fought unsuccessfully through the 1950s for author credit.
Guy Massey had heard the song from his brother Rob Massey, who had actually spent some time in prison and probably first heard the song there. Palmer cites a letter dated October 20, 1924 from Guy Massey to his brother Rob Massey and two of his sisters telling them that he agreed to a 5% stake in royalties because he thought there would not be any royalties. Guy also said that, even though the royalty contract did not mention Rob explicitly, he (Guy ) would split the 5% evenly with Rob. Although Dalhart changed his story frequently when he told it in public, he sometimes also claimed to have rewritten the original that he got from Guy. At times there were claims made that Guy had written it and there were claims that Rob had written it. Another story claims the lyrics were carved into the wall of a cell in the old Early County Jail in Blakely, Georgia by Robert F. Taylor, who was at one time held there
Recordings of The Prisoner's Song:
---------------------------------*Track *Artist *Year
The Prisoner's Song Abe Lyman And His Californians 1941
The Prisoner's Song Bunny Berigan 1937
The Prisoner's Song Bunny Berigan 1937
The Prisoner's Song Bunny Berigan 1938
The Prisoner's Song Bunny Berigan 1938
The Prisoner's Song Eddie Peabody 1925
The Prisoner's Song Eddy Arnold 1947
The Prisoner's Song Eddy Arnold 1949
The Prisoner's Song Fats Domino 1958
The Prisoner's Song Foster Richardson
The Prisoner's Song Irving Kaufman 1926
The Prisoner's Song Jimmie Davis 1941
The Prisoner's Song Montana Slim (The Yodeling Cowboy) 1943
The Prisoner's Song P. C. Spouse
The Prisoner's Song Paul Specht's Canadian Club Orchestra 1926
The Prisoner's Song Spencer Shaw
The Prisoner's Song Tex Ritter 1948
The Prisoner's Song The Texas Drifter (Goebel Reeves) 1932
The Prisoner's Song Vernon Dalhart 1924
The Prisoner's Song Vernon Dalhart 1924
The Prisoner's Song Vernon Dalhart 1925
The Prisoner's Song Vernon Dalhart 1925
The Prisoner's Song Vernon Dalhart 1935
The Prisoner's Song Walter Kingsley 1927/Wikipedia, others
SONGS:
***Title ***Artist ***Year
The Wild Side Of Life (1960) Bill Haley & His Comets 1960The Great Speckled Bird Dennis Marsh
Wild Side Of Life Dewey Rothering & The Rhythm Playboys
It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels (other version) Dolly Parton
It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels (1972) Ellen McIlwaine
The Wild Side Of Life (live) Hank Thompson
The Wild Side Of Life Hank Williams
The Prisoner's Song (1925) International Novelty Orchestra The Wild Side Of Life (1965) Jerry Lee Lewis 1965
Wild Side Of Life (1960) Josh MacRae 1960
I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes (1957) Linna Shane
It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels (1970) Lynn Anderson The Wild Side Of Life Merle Haggard
The Great Speckled Bird Nokie Edwards
The Great Speckled Bird Norma Jean 1968
The Wild Side Of Life (1951) Perk Williams & Jimmy Heap
I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes (1943) Perry Como The Wild Side Of Life Ray Price 1963
The Prisoner's Song (1926) Regent Club Orchestra
Wild Side Of Life (1974) Rick Cunha 1974
The Wild Side Of Life (1970) Steve Alaimo
The Wild Side Of Life (1972) Sydney Devine
The Prisoner's Song (1948) Tex Ritter 1948
The Great Speckled Bird Tommy Collins
The Prisoner's Song (1958) Warren Storm
The Child's Side Of Life (1954) Wayne Raney
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